Door-hanger.



F. W. S. ELSTROTH.

Doon HANGER. v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1911.

15027-,64-5. n Patented May 28, 1912.

U'Nrrnn sTAtrEs PATENT orrron.

FRANK W. s. ELsTRoTH, or Nnw YORK, N. Y.

DOVOBPHANGER.

2b all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. S. Ens- '.rRoTH, a citizen of the United States, residing inthe cit lof New York, borough of 5 Brooklyn, in the'county of Kings and State features, and details of construction and arrangement by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafter described and pointed vout in the claims.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specilication and show approved forms of theinvention. y

l,Figure l is an elevation partly in vertical section longitudinally of the track, showing the door-suspending means. Fig. 2 is a corresponding transverse vertical section, partly inelevation. lFig.3 is a partial plan view and4 horizontal section showing the ball retainer' and track. Fig. 4 is a lmeans beneath the tracl view rof the track and its holding means. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverseA section show- .ingy a modied form intended for light servplan of the guiding Similar letters of eference indicate like parts inv all the figures.

The doors are suspended from carriages B f and B1 mounted on' tracks C upon antifriction balls, and having` other parts andconnections, to vbe described. Each .door is sup.-`

ported by mechanism similar to that for the -other,f and either maybe understoodfas referred 'to in the following description,

C is the track attached to the wall in any suitable manne-r, as by brackets C1 secured by screws C2 and'V supporting the track on a yprojecting'lip C3.' The track is fastened to the brackets by screw -bolts C4 extending through the track and into bosses C5 and each having a collar C? lying against one -face of the track and a nut C7 against the opposite vface which `with the bolt and bossy Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 22, 1911.

and for favorably pre- ,each having its upper Vbent inwardly to lap upon the adjacent an- .track-bed C8.

Fig. 5 is yan end suitable intervals by .form 'inte maining Patented May 28,1912. serial No. 634,746.

permit ank adjustment of j to the wall. The track is in the form of a light I-beam, and the upper face of t-he head C8 is planed or milled to produce a central ridge C9 extending its full length and joined position relatively i to the remaining plane surfaces by easy curves or llets. The under face of the base C10 is milled along the center line to produce a curved groove o, as shown.

Bis the carriage, comprising also a light I-beam having its head F1 per face and its base F2 milled on the under face similar to the track-head C8 to forma central ridge Fsand'is provided with straps F4 fastened to the plane upper face of the r plane on the uphead F1,-enoircling the carriage and track t' with its endsextending below the latter and joined by hangers F5 to which the door is attached. The center lines of the hangers, track and carriage are in the same vertical plane so that. torsional strains are eliminated and the centers of gravity of the carriage and suspended door lie `in the plane of suspension. Y

A ball-retainer is interposed between the carriage and track, comprising the sideplates G1y G1 of sheet metal covering'the space between the carriage and track and and lower margins gular faces of the carriage e base F2 and The plates are separated at j blocks G2 G2 extending across in the space between the carriage and track and held by rivets G3. The blocks are in pairs having the adjacent faces concave as at g g to form pockets infwhich are received pairs of balls G G separated laterally v by the ridges C9 and F3, the curved llets of .which serve as ways for the balls which'perform the function of 4antifriction supports for the carriage and its load. The faces of the platesare swelled outwardly as at G4 to 1nal recesses for the outer peripheries of the balls while permitting the rethe adjacent flanges lof the track and carriage. j

f Immediately above the hangers F5 is a bar D secured betweenthe straps F4 by rivetsD1 and having its upper face grooved longitudinally as at d to match to the groove c in the base C10 of the track and receive a series of balls H in a second ball-holder mounted in the space between the track-base and bar portions of the plates to lie close to D. These balls H serve to prevent upward movements of the door and carriage relatively to the track, and also to resist sidewise movements of the door and straps relatively to the track. rIhis second ball-holder comprises an upper and lower strip HL H2, separated by blocks H3, and having conical openings h oppositely located in each to receive portions of the upper and lower hemispheres of the balls H which protrude there- Y through and extend into-the grooves c Z as before stated. Any tendency of the door to lift or tilt .is resisted by the balls Hwhich roll antifrictionally under such strains and prevent cramping or binding. As an aid to the balls H and their grooves c and (Z in resist-- ing swinging movements of the door, carriage, and straps, the latter carry on the inner faces of each, vertically arranged antifriction rollers J mounted in housings J1 and bearing oppositely against the vertical 4plane faces of the web C of the track. The I-beam shape of the latter providing space for such rollers without increasing the width of the mechanism.

"With the parts thus constructed and arranged the carriage and its suspended door are moved with a minimum of friction, and by supporting the carriage along lines passing through the centers of the two parallel series of balls G G the tendency to swing is 'greatly reduced, and still further resisted by the lower balls H and rollers J in antifrictional engagement with the fixed track C The ball-retainer in which the double line of balls G G is mounted is entirely self-contained, the balls cannot escape or become disarranged or misplaced either in service or when the retainer is removed, and the retainer thus constructed forms an independent member which may be introduced or re- ,moved by sliding into or-out of position end wise between the track and carriage as will be understood.

Fig. 6 shows a modification intended for service with light doors. In this `form the track C11 is a bar having a segmental groove along its upperedge, and the carriage FG a similar bar having a corresponding groove along its lower edge, the two grooves serving as ways for a single series of balls G5 mounted in a ballretainer G6 analogous to the retainer for the double series first described. The straps FS in this modified form are joined beneath the track by hangers F7, and to prevent swinging movements a roller H4 having an annular conical iange H5 is mounted between the legs of the straps beneath the track, with the flange engaged in a corresponding V-groove c1 inthe lower edge of the track, the roller thus serving to resist both lifting and transverse and G7 and H7 are projecting pins on the balltor` sional strains relatively to the fixed track.v

retainer and ball-holder, arranged to contact with the straps F4 which thus maintain the retainer and holder in proper relation to the carriage and track.

Othermodifications may be made without departing from the invention, and parts may be used without the whole. The antifriction rollers J may be dispensed with and the lower series of balls H relied upon to resist transverse movements, or other means may be substituted for the lower series of balls to prevent lifting movements alone, with the rollers J serving to prevent swinging movements in conjunction with the wide support offered by the double series of balls G G which in themselves tend greatly to reduce such swinging movements.

I claim zl. In a door-hanger, a track, a carriage above said track, a series of balls between said track and carriage, a plate on each side of said track and carriage and covering the space between them, and blocks extending from one plate to the other through said space disposed adjacent the balls and forming pockets and serving with said plates to retain said balls.

2. In a door-hanger, a track, a carriage above said track, a series of balls between said track and carriage and extending laterally beyond the -outer lines thereof, a plate on each side of said track and carriage -and covering the space between them, a recess in the inner face of cach plate receiving the laterally extending overhanging portions of saidballs, blocks extending from one plate to the other through such space disposed adjacent the balls and forming pockets and serving with said recesses to retain said balls.

3. In a door-hanger, a track, a carriage above said track, straps on said carriage inclosing the latter and said track, a series of balls between said track and carriage, and an antifriction means carried by said straps and engaged with the lower portion of said track to prevent lateral oscillations of said carriage and straps relatively to said track.

Ll. In a door-hanger, a track having a groove in its under face, a carriage labove said track, straps on said carriage inclosing the latter land said track, a series of balls between said track and carriage, and antifriction means carried by said straps and engaged in said groove whereby lateral oscillations of said carriage and straps relatively to said track are prevented.

5. In a door-hanger, a track, a carriage above said track, two series of balls arranged side-byside between said track and carriage to support the latter, and blocks forming pockets for said balls.

G. In a door-hanger, a track, Ya carriage above said track, two series of balls arranged side-by-side between said track and carriage to support the latter, blocks forming pockets for said balls and means for retaining said balls in position.

7. In a door-hanger, a track, a carriage above said track, two series of balls arranged side-by-side in pairs between said track and carriage to support the latter, a plate on each side of said track and carriage and covering the space between them, a recess in each plate receiving the overhung portionsof the balls of each series, and blocks extending from one plate to the other through said space and serving to hold said balls in pairs.

8. In a door-hanger, a track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the upper face thereof, a carriage above said track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the under face of said carriage, a series of balls on each side of said ridges and supporting said carriage, and means for retaining said balls in position in pairs on opposite sides of said ridges.

9. In a door-hanger, a track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the upper face thereof and a groove in the lower face, a carriage above said track, a'longitudinally extending ridge on the under face of said carriage, a series of balls on each side of said ridges and supporting said carriage, means for retaining said balls in position in pairs on opposite sides of said ridges, straps on said carriage inclosing the latter and said track, a bar held by said straps beneath said track and having a groove in its upper face, and a series of balls between said bar and track and engaged in the said grooves therein.

l0. In a door-hanger, a track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the upper face and a groove in the lower face thereofa carriage above said track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the under face of said carriage, a series of balls one each side of said ridges and supporting said carriage, means for retaining said balls in position in pairs on opposite sides of said ridges, straps on 'Y track, and vertically arranged antifriction rollers carried by said straps on opposite sides of said track and in rolling contact with the side faces thereof.

ll. In a door-hanger, a track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the upper face and a groove in the lower face thereof, a carrlage above said track, a longitudinally extending ridge on the under face of saidcarriage, a series of balls on each side of said ridges and supporting said carriage means for retaining said balls in position in pairs on opposite sides of said ridges, straps on said carriage inclosing the latter and said track, a bar held by said straps beneath said track and having a groove in its upper face, a series of balls between said bar` and carriage and engaged in the saidV grooves therein, and antifriction rollers arranged vertically and carried by said straps on opposite sides of said track and in rolling contact withthe side faces thereof.

12. The ball-retainer described, consisting of side-plates, blocks extending between said plates and having their adjacent faces grooved, said plates and blocks forming a series .of pockets, and balls of a diameter greater than the thickness of said blocks, received in said pockets.

13. The ball-retainer described, consisting of side-plates having recessesformed in their interior surfaces, blocks extending between said plates and having their adjacent faces grooved, said plates and blocks forming a series of pockets, and a pair of balls received side-by-side in each of said pockets. In testimony that I claim the invention 4above set forth I aiiix my signature, inpresence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. S. ELSTROTH. Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, HELEN V. RICE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington,'D. C. 

